Joseph stebbelirz



Qsc/

J. STERBENZ.

ANIMAL TRAP.

. JOSEPH sTEnBENz, or NASHWAUK, MINNESOTA..

ANiMAL-'rnnrnf "V To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1JosErH STERBENZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashwauk, in the countyof Itasca, State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention such as will en-` able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

The invention relates to animal traps and has for itsobject to provide a trap of this character, wherein the cover over the entrance is slidably mounted and the same held in open position by means of a bar the end of which engages the cover and its other end being engaged by a notch of `a bait lever, against the action of a spring, said spring being so constructed that when the bait is being placed on the lower end of the bait lever an additional upward movement of the cover will cause the spring to assume a position, whereby the cover will be held open by the spring, thereby preventing the trip ping of the trap mechanism and consequent injury to the hand of the operator.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ani- -mal trap, showing the same in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the showing the parts in set positions.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken trap,

on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the parts in set positions. y

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. l, but showing the parts in operative positions.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a box, which is preferably square in cross section, however it is to be understood that the box may be made in various shapes and sizes. The box is provided with an opening 2 and slidably lmounted in grooves 3 is a cover 4, which forms a closure for the trap and which has a handle portion 5 adapted to be grasped by the hand Application iednprii 1s, 191e. seiai No. 291,044."

. Specification of Letters '.atent. Patlntedflune 24, 1919.

of" the operator when itis desiredto open or set the trap.

` Secured as at 5 to one of the side walls ofthe `box is a leaf spring, this leaf spring engages a lug 7 on the inner surface of the cover and forms means whereby the cover is forced downwardly to aclosed position `whe`n` an animal trips the tripping mechanism. However the spring near its end is provided with a notch 8, which receives the lug 7 when the cover is raised to a position above its normal operative position. When the lug 7 is in the notch 8, it will be seen that the cover will be held open, therefore the trap may be easily and quickly baited and `there will be no danger of the spring forcing the cover downwardly against the hand.

A bait bar 9is disposed in the box and has an upper reduced portion 10 which extends through an aperture in the top of the box, said reduced portion forming shoulders 11 which engage the under side of the top so as to limit the upward movement of the bar 9.'

The reduced portion of the bar is provided with a notch which receives the end 13 of a bar 14C, the other end 15 thereof engaging a notch 16 in the rear surface of the cover 4. Secured by means of a rivet 17 to the lower end of the bait bar 9 is a spring 18, which will bind the bait against the bait bar, thereby assuring the tripping of the mechanism when an animal pullsupon the bait. The bar 14; may be secured to the box by means of a string 19 thereby preventing the loss of the same when the mechanism is tripped by an animal.

It will be seen that when the animal pulls upon the bait, that the bar 9 will be rocked which rocking will release the end 13 of the bar 14: and the end 15 will leave the notch 16 as the cover is forced downwardly by the spring 6, thereby closing the cover 4 and trapping the animal.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. An animal trap comprising a box havvided with notches for the reception of ends spring, said bait bar being so mountedin the box that a pull upon the llowerend thereof Will release the bai; which engages the notches of the bait bar and the cover thereby allowing the cover vto be closed by the 2. animal trap comprising a box having a slidable cover in the opening thereof, aspring secured toone of the inner Walls of the box and having its free end engaging a lug on the slidable cover for closing the cover, said spring having .near its end =a notch for the reception of the cover lug the action of the 'spring and so constructed that when the animal trips the Same the 20 cover will be closed by the action of the spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my lnaine, to thisspecication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH STERBENZ.

Witnesses:

J. W. RING, R. LARsoN.

copies of this patent may :be obtained for five-cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,`D. 0.. 

